Here's a pretty song about something not-so-pretty: being homeless. Tone Deaf was living on the street when he wrote the two poems we combined into one for the song, but this isn't a preachy thing, it's just his oddly beautiful reflection on what it's like to be in a miserable situation.

icicle breath chortle, taking a piss
some tropical poison best given a miss
knickers on line, ass over tip
dated milk globules, and nowhere to sick

singing and dancing and laughing all day
don't be a bummer love, it only gets in the way

(my eyes have seen reflections of you in me)
blue-eyed sunshine came out today,
with all god's children, both brilliant and gay
there's love all around us, happiness bliss
no need for no more, there's no better than this

singing and dancing and laughing all day
don't be a bummer love, it only gets in the way

II. Stravinsky Wrote The Soundtrack
snow scene
quiet city night
white permeates
hell takes a break
rats hop like bunnies
zig zag across alleys
past masses huddled
with oil drum fire
sipping tea and whiskey
a helping hand
to pass the time
then slip away

 

Citizens
artwork by Bruce Hellington
Lou Caldarola: drum kit
Tone Deaf: spoken word
Briana Hardyman: vocals
Chris Huntington: guitar
Conrad St. Clair: bass noodles, keyboards, programming
Mike Stehr: bass line

*And a little extra note for the record: When we tracked Briana Hardyman's vocal, she was so taken with the poems, she sang a couple of extra lines out of the blue that kind of sum up the visceral response almost anyone would have when hearing this kind of story. Those bits are the lines in parentheses....

The artist for Pretty's cover, Bruce Hellington, also has a strong connection to its subject matter. Bruce's long-standing commitment to helping the homeless is extraordinary, but believe it or not, things like that are frowned upon by the authorities in certain cities. So, we won't go into detail, but Bruce is a shining example of selfless activism.

 

Bruce is also one of the founding members of the seminal Washington DC punk/artcore/unclassifiable band, 9353. Even if you haven't heard of them, you probably have heard of bands like Scream or Fugazi who wear the influence of 9353 on their sleeves. Kicksville is proudly one of those bands, too.... Bruce's art and 9353's music are huge influences for Tone Deaf and the rest of the DC clan who have found a home in Kicksville. In fact, Bruce is probably the first and biggest influence on Tone's art, and helped to get Tone back on his feet when he was homeless.

 

Take a few minutes and read this nice little interview bit for more background on 9353 HERE, or to hear 9353's music, visit Brainwashington Records HERE.

For the new folks around here, this is how the whole "Season" thing works:

Think of it like a TV series. You can watch the episodes each week for free, and at the end of the season, you can buy a DVD with all the shows plus some bonus shite.

 

With our "Season" releases, you can download a new song each week for free (yes - free!), and at the end of the season, you can buy a DVD/CD with all the music plus videos, liner notes, each single's artwork, and so on.

Pretty simple, right? Right. So, catch up on any Seasons you've missed, and stay tuned for more....